We are screwed

[MrOrange82]

I agree that they've outplayed us but they had a 3-run bloop double in game 1 and a 2-run bloop single in game 2. Both games whose score was very close and could easily been the difference in those games. I'm not saying we've played well' date=' just making an observation. Regardless it really doesn't matter anymore.[/quote']

Didn't the O's score on an infield pop-up that fell in this series?

These things happen. The O's have had their chances.

[OFFNY]

Your guys played a great series, nothing to be ashamed of. Put up more of a fight than the Angels did. Hope to see the O's come back for a few more post seasons in the years to come.

Thank you very much.

Welcome to green.

Patrick (Oriole Fan From New York)

[Hank Scorpio]

So it's nothing but luck and horseshoes in asses, but then you want to model your team after it?

Come on now, this is two great teams playing a great series, and I truly feel the difference is the bullpen. I'm pretty sure our 7-8-9 guys were literally the best in MLB history this year (unless they barely slipped out of that stat, by chance.) Last year they weren't much worse. That's not luck. That's 2 full seasons of monster pitching and defense, and when the hitting picks up, this is the type of ball we see out of these guys.

We saw it during the year when we went something like 22-4 in a stretch that brought us back into the mix.

The problem is, this hitting never seems to stick around. They got hot at the perfect time for this playoff run which is unfortunate for the Angels and Orioles, but to call it luck is just nonsense.

As a KC fan, I am NOT comfortable, though. The O's are a great team. Their backs are against the wall, but a win tomorrow could completely change things. That last win is always the hardest one.

Here's to our small market teams screaming through the playoffs for years to come! Playoff baseball means extra money...lots of it. Hopefully our organizations can continue this trend of winning baseball and we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming years!

Yes. They need more guys in the lineup that can make contact when then situation calls for it.

[sportsfan8703]

Yes. They need more guys in the lineup that can make contact when then situation calls for it.

As in Machado, Wieters, Davis?

[kcdreamer]

KC has played very well, but I have never seen so many broken bat, bloop and infield hits in my life. I think that's what he means by horseshoes.

That's what hitting for contact does. These guys just want to put the bat on the ball, use their speed and see what happens. When you put the bat on the ball enough that stuff is going to happen, which is why they do it.

Luck can only go so far. That's why it's luck. When it consistently happens based on the model of a team, that is no longer luck. It's Royals baseball.

[DrungoHazewood]

Yes. They need more guys in the lineup that can make contact when then situation calls for it.

I'd argue that it's more pressing to have a 3B, a 2B, a C and a LFer who can hit a little bit, even if they aren't contact hitters.

That's really the miracle of 2014 for the Orioles - they lapped the division with a bunch of utility guys and not-ready-for-primetime rookies up and down the lineup. I'd kill for Manny and Wieters and maybe even Davis now.

[MrOrange82]

As in Machado, Wieters, Davis?

Career OBP for Machado is .313 (.324 this year before he got hurt again). For Wieters .320 (and I have no faith that he would have maintained his career-high pace all season). And for Davis...well, does his career OBP even matter given how miserable he looked this year? (.300 even)

So...no, not really.

[DrungoHazewood]

That's what hitting for contact does. These guys just want to put the bat on the ball, use their speed and see what happens. When you put the bat on the ball enough that stuff is going to happen, which is why they do it.

The Royals have struck out the fewest times in baseball for several years running, even when they weren't any good. Contact hitting is no better than any other type of hitting unless it's coupled with power and the ability to get on base.

[weams]

That's what hitting for contact does. These guys just want to put the bat on the ball, use their speed and see what happens. When you put the bat on the ball enough that stuff is going to happen, which is why they do it.

Luck can only go so far. That's why it's luck. When it consistently happens based on the model of a team, that is no longer luck. It's Royals baseball.

Good Series. And it's Luck.

[DrungoHazewood]

Career OBP for Machado is .313 (.324 this year before he got hurt again). For Wieters .320 (and I have no faith that he would have maintained his career-high pace all season). And for Davis...well, does his career OBP even matter given how miserable he looked this year? (.300 even)

So...no, not really.

Career OBP for Flaherty, Schoop, Hundley... probably a whole lot worse than that. When's the last playoff team to start three guys with sub-.300 OBPs?

[weams]

The Royals have struck out the fewest times in baseball for several years running, even when they weren't any good. Contact hitting is no better than any other type of hitting unless it's coupled with power and the ability to get on base.

It's what going all crazy over an extremely small sample size does for you. It makes you believe in things you don't understand.

[eddie83]

That's what hitting for contact does. These guys just want to put the bat on the ball, use their speed and see what happens. When you put the bat on the ball enough that stuff is going to happen, which is why they do it.

Luck can only go so far. That's why it's luck. When it consistently happens based on the model of a team, that is no longer luck. It's Royals baseball.

Then why didn't they score more runs in the regular season? You don't have to apologize for your success, but your team has rifled through a lot of hitting coaches in recent years. If KC would not of made the playoffs the offense would have been the reason.

[baltfan]

As in Machado, Wieters, Davis?

Only one of those guys sort of works at-bats. We don't have enough tough outs. The closest we have is Nick. I also said at the beginning of the season this team needed a little speed. De Aza was a nice try. Would be nice if he would have had a chance to even threaten to run.

You are seeing the value of that threat in this series.

[FlipTheBird]

They got some lucky hits but they are damn good. They outplayed us .... and I don't think we played badly.

The O's have played like dog****, 'nuff said. Lineup hasnt produced the big hit, Tillman and Norris flubbed, D hasn't been exceptionally stellar, pen has been bad.

[weams]

Only one of those guys sort of works at-bats. We don't have enough tough outs. The closest we have is Nick. I also said at the beginning of the season this team needed a little speed. De Aza was a nice try. Would be nice if he would have had a chance to even threaten to run.

You are seeing the value of that threat in this series.

The lineup would be no better with Choo instead of Jones, Cruz or Pearce.